It didn't take long for us to get caught up with the mob mentality. We ran through the pedestrian mall, eager to join in.

Yes, there was an alleged witch in our midst, and it was time to get to the bottom of it. We ran with the crowd to Old Town Hall and took up our spots as jurors.

In the end, we acquitted Bridget Bishop.

Back in 1692, the real Bridget wasn't so lucky. She was the first to be hanged following the Salem witch trials.

The audience participation play "Cry Innocent: The People versus Bridget Bishop" is a way to introduce kids to the history surrounding Salem, Mass. It's easy to get caught up in the fun of Salem and forget that women (and men) died because of paranoia, fear and hate. "Cry Innocent" is an important reminder.

I didn't know what to expect visiting Salem just before Halloween last year. I thought it would be crazy, but I was curious, and we happened to be passing through that area.

My daughter wore her cheetah costume, and I probably stood out more without a costume. There were grim reapers, zombies, monsters, princesses, giant frogs and many, many witches.

It was crowded, but the vibe was pleasant.

After we participated in the trial, we decided a haunted house was in order. There's no shortage of haunted houses to explore. The woman selling tickets to the first one we approached took one look at my daughter and shook her head, telling us it would be too scary. She directed us to another aimed at little kids. Well, maybe too little. It was a very gentle and bloodless experience. "Seriously?" my then 8-year-old daughter asked.

So we picked a third haunted house — a 3D experience. I figured what could be terrifying about 3D? Wrong. Salem's 13 Ghost Haunted House was really, really scary and well done. However, we only made it through halfway. It was a bit much for my, um, daughter. The staff graciously let us exit through a secret door. We had a good laugh afterward, but I think both of us were a bit relieved.

To allow our hearts to return to their normal rhythm, we explored a magic shop with wands and spell books. (Be respectful. This stuff is taken seriously here.)

As for food, we hit Tavern in the Square on Washington Street for burgers. The staff catered to my daughter's multiple allergy issues, and we had a relaxing meal.

Salem is a walking city. You can see a lot on foot — especially historic architecture, with some houses even dating back to the time of the witch trials. Then there are the monsters, witches and even Samantha Stephens. There's a charming statue of "Bewitched" star Elizabeth Montgomery. (The statue drew some controversy, with opponents saying it trivialized the witch trials.)

We walked along the water to the House of Seven Gables, made famous by Nathaniel Hawthorne's book. We walked through the cemetery. And we walked to the Witch Trial memorial, where I took some time to explain to my little cheetah about what happened, and how I was proud of her for being one of the first to raise her hand to acquit Bridget Bishop.